Discussion

Where to Stock up on Poboy Bread?

When we are in NO in a couple of weeks, I would like to pick up some poboy bread to freeze for later. Where can I get some? I know I am going to Whole Foods, but they probably don't carry the good stuff, right? Thank you.

If you're going to freeze it for later--presumably when you get home from your trip--my main advice would be to make sure to get bread in a plastic bag, or transfer it to a plastic bag if it comes in a paper bag. Otherwise, it will get hard before you can freeze it.

Rouse's carries Reising's, which is what I buy these days, and it's easy to find. Pre-K I always went to Angelo Gendusa's at the top of the Marigny Triangle, but like so many of our treasures, it ain't dere no more.

When I lived out of town, I bought pistolettes and twins (two small French bread loaves packages together) at Dorignac's to freeze. Dorignac's is on Veterans in Metairie, not far from the Orleans/Jefferson line. The pistolettes and twins are located on the front end of the aisle just to the right of the liquor department. If you enter the left door from the parking lot, it's just to the left after you pass the checkout lines.

Zips/ Reislings are the gold standard, but here's the rub....it's only good when it's fresh and it will be stale the next day. It must be frozen the day you get it otherwise it will only be good for bread pudding/dressing. Forget plastic bags, they ruin the crispy crust. The bread sold in plastic is spongy rather than light, airy, crispy. I'd pass on those pistolettes in the plastic bag, again no crisp crumb. They are more like a packaged sub or hoagie roll. Just my 2 cents.

Naturally the loaves in the plastic bags aren't the same as the ones that don't last 24 hours, but if you lived out of town, you'd be so thankful to have them in your freezer. Of course, since they are frozen, you will be heating them up, which crisps up the crusts nicely. Trust me, there is no substitute in grocery stores out of the metropolitan area.